Warning Signs Of Gestational Diabetes – Diagnosing And Testing For Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a condition in which a pregnant woman suffers from higher than normal blood glucose levels. It is still uncertain why this occurs but it is thought that the extra stress that the woman's body is put under during pregnancy might be the cause. In most cases the woman might be unaware that she has diabetes and it is only through checking with her doctor and a formal blood test that the condition can be diagnosed.

One theory about why gestational diabetes occurs is that the placenta disrupts the normal functioning of the body. The placenta supplies the baby with all it's nutrients, oxygen, antibodies and hormones that are derived from the mother's blood. During a pregnancy, the placenta produces a multitude of different hormones to do this. It is believed that many of these hormones have an adverse affect on the mother's insulin.

This results in high blood glucose levels because the insulin is unable to move the glucose out of the blood and into the cells. The mother may produce up to three times her normal amount of insulin to effectively deal with the effects of the placental hormones. This is known as insulin resistance.

The classic symptoms of diabetes are likely to occur in women with gestational diabetes. These include :

Frequent urination or polyuria - Caused by high blood glucose which increases blood flow to the kidneys.

Excessive thirst  or polydipsia - Results from dehydration from the increased urinary output.

Extreme hunger - Because glucose is unable to get into the body's cells from the lack of insulin the body suffers from an energy deficit, causing hunger.

Unusual weight loss - Despite eating more the body actually loses weight as it breaks down proteins and fats to make up for the perceived energy deficit.

Increased fatigue - Caused by the decrease in energy.

Irritability

Blurry vision - Caused by the increased blood volume that causes a swelling of the lens of the eye.

However the majority of pregnant women have no overt symptoms or rationalize the symptoms as a part of the pregnancy. This is why most health carers recommend that all women should be screened for gestational diabetes at about the 24 to 28 week mark.

The screening process involves taking a test, known as the oral glucose tolerance test. The woman will consume a drink that contains 50g of glucose. When one hour has elapsed, her blood glucose level will be tested. If it is equal to or greater then 130 to 140 mg/dl then further testing is needed.

The next test to determine if a woman has gestational diabetes is the 3 hour, 100g oral glucose tolerance test. This test actually lasts about three days. For the three days before the test the woman eats an unrestricted diet eating at a minimum of 150g of carbohydrates each day. The night before the test she fasts and in the morning drinks a 100g oral glucose solution. Her plasma glucose is tested at four different intervals with blood glucose levels not to exceed the following for two or more of the tests:

Fasting - 95mg/dL
1 hour - 180mg/dL
2 hours - 155 mg/dL
3 hours - 140 mg/dL

If it is confirmed that the woman has gestational diabetes then she will have to start a diabetic care plan throughout her pregnancy. This will be worked out with her primary health carer. It will be primarily concerned with getting the right diet and  regular exercise. Medication and insulin may be needed depending on the person. For many women failing the  oral glucose test is the first symptom that they have gestational diabetes.

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